Automatic train-pipe connecter



0a. 29, 1929. J, v, R BiN ON 1,733,206-

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed March 8, 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 1 anvm to c ,851 @ttovn s Oct. 29, 1929. J. v. ROBINSON1,733,?06

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed March 8, 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 29, 1929 FATENT OFFICE JOSEPH V. ROBINSON,(3F NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTER Application filed March 8, 1920, SerialNo. 364,253. Renewed March 19, 1929.

My invention relates to automatic train pipe connecters and moreespecially to that type of train pipe connecter with which electricityis employed for the conveyance of signals through the train, or forlighting, heating, telephone, or power purposes, An object of theinvention is to provide a simple form of electric terminal or plug whichmay be readily mounted in the signal port of the train pipe couplinghead after the removal from the port of the fittings generally employedwith train pipe coupling heads in conveying the air from the signal pipeof the car through the coupling head. Thus my improvement may be appliedto the pipe coupling head at any time without requiring any alterationto the head whatever.

My invention consists of the constructions, combinations andarrangements hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claimsand illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a train p'pe coupling head provided withmy improvement.

Figure 2 is a front view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 andshowing my im proved terminal or plug in elevation.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of my improvement showing some of theparts in elevation.

Figure 5 is a rear face view in elevation of the forward member of myimprovement taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an interior face view of one member of my improvement takenon the line 66 of Figure 1 and showing some of the parts in section. Inthis figure the filler or insulation hereafter described is not shown,

and

Figure 7 is a detailed sectional elevation taken approximately on theline 7-7 of Figure 6 and showing the filler as it would appear in thisview were it applied in the structure shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings. Any suitable form of coupling head Ahaving guiding means 8 for bringing the ports of the head into registermay be used with my improve ment, but I preferably provide a couplinghead of the butt face type having vertically aligned orifices as shownin Figure 2, the upper one of which orifices is provided on the side ofthe head with a hollow nipple 9 which extends rearwardly of the head andpreferably at a right angle to the coupling face 10 thereof. Anysuitable form of support for flexibly supporting, from the car, acoupling head having my improvement, may be used. I indicate at 11 asuitable form of support the which is more fully illustrated in myco-pending application Serial No. 342,- 806, filed December 5, 1919.

My improved terminal or plug comprises a body member B made of twoseparate parts 12 and 13, each of which is constructed of any suitablematerial which is a non-conductor for electricity such, for instance, ashard rubber. These members are cylindrical in form and are adapted tofit snugly within the upper or signal port 14 of the coupling head A asshown especially in Figure 3, the member 12 being provided with ashoulder 15 for mating with the rear wall 16 of the gasket seat 17 inthe signal port as shown. The member 13 is provided on its rear sidewith an enlarged head or base 18 which is adapted to abut the rear face19 of the nipple 9. 'To properly position the parts of my improvement inthe conduit or port 14, I provide the latter with a groove 20, adaptedto snugly receive a projection 21 on the base 18 of the member 13. Thislatter member is provided with a centrally located cylindrical opening22 which extends through the head or base 18 into a chamber 23 formed inthe member 13. Within the centrally disposed opening 22 I force asuitable form of cable or electrical conduit C the wires 24 of which aresecured within the chamber 23 as by screws 25. These screws are suitablyconnected with barrels 26 which are firmly locked within the body of themember 13. The screws serve also to lock in position suitable metalposts 27 which extend through a base plate 28 into an opening in themember 13 as shown especially in Figures 4 and 7, the connectionsbetween the base plate 28 and the posts 27 and the wires 25 being suchWard ends of the plungers 31.

may be otherwise mounted if desired.

as to form an electrical connection from such wires through said posts.The member 12 of my improved terminal or plug is provided with barrels29 rigidly secured in the member 12. Within the barrels and passingthrough openings in the face 30, which openings are concentric with theopenings in said barrels, I provide a pair of plungers 31 formed ofnon-corrosive material. Into the barrels 29 the aforesaid posts 27extend when the parts of my improvement are assembled, and between theforward end of these posts and the abutment or head 32 of the plungers31 I provide suitable springs 33 which serve to maintain the plungers 31at the limit of their forward movement in the member 12 and which, inconnection with the contact be tween the barrels 29 and the posts 27,and between the barrels and" the plungers 31,

serveto complete the electrical connection from the wires 24 of thecable C to the for- To rigidly secure the cable O in place, I preferablypress it into the opening 22 of the base 18 and then pour into thehollow 23 of the member 13 wax or other hard substance which is anon-con ductor of electricity. Figure 7 illustrates this filling as itwould appear when placed. The members 12 and 13 of my improvement aresecured together, and the various parts thereof properly positionedthrough the medium of a pair of screws 34 which extend through themember 13 into a threaded barrel 35 rigidly secured in the member 12 asshown especially in Figures 4, 5 and 6. When thus assembled my improvedterminal or plug operates practically as one piece, the joining faces ofthe members 12 and 13 fitting so closely as to exclude water and otherforeign substances from the interior thereof. To assemble my improvementinto the port 14 of the coupling head the screws 34 are removed and themember 12' is inserted from the face of the coupling head A and themember 13 is inserted from the rear thereof, whereupon the screws 345are applied and the members 12 and 13 are drawn into tight engagementwith the mating surfaces of the conduit 14.

While I have shown my improvement as mounted. in the upper or signalport of a train pipe coupling head it will be observed thartlit no cableC may extend from my improved. terminal in one connector head to myimprovement on a coupling head at the other end of a car, or such cablemay terminate at a junction box on the end of the car thus enabling thetrain men tocut in with a telephone at any car in a train and conveysignals either forward or rearward through the train. It will beobserved from the drawings that the face 30 of the member 12 extendsflush with the face 10 of the coupling head A and that the plungers 31lie in the horizontal plane and either side of the vertical center lineof the head A as shown particularly in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The plungcrsproject slightly in advance of the face 30of the member 12 but arepushed rearwardly against the tension of the springs 33 when opposingcoupling heads cou ple in service. While I have referred to myimprovement principally as an electrical means for conveying signalsthrough a train, it may also be used for the purpose of lighting orheating the train or conveying power therethrough or efl'ectingtelephone communication between the engineer and the conductor at anypoint in the train.

vVhat I claim as new is:

1. In an automatic train pipe connector, a coupling head having acoupling face, and also having an opening extending therethroughsubstantially at right angles to said face, a plug in said opening, saidplug com--. prising a front portion and a rear portion respectivelyinsertible in said opening from the front and rear thereof, means forlimiting the extent to which the parts of the terminal may be insertedin said opening, meansfor connecting the two parts of the plug wheninserted in the opening, a plurality of contacts slidably mounted in thefront portion of the plug and normally projecting beyond the couplingface of the head when the plug;

is in position in said opening, and electric conductors connected tosaid contacts.

2. In a construction of the kind described, the combination with acoupling head provided with an opening adapted to inter-' changeablyreceive a train pipe hose and a contact plug and having a coupling face,of a contact plug mounted in said opening, said plug comprising a frontportion and a rear portion respectively insertable in said open-- ingfrom the front and rear of the head, means for ri idly connecting thetwo parts of the plug when lnserted in said opening, and a movablecontact carried by said plug and normally projecting beyond saidcoupling face when the plug is in position in the head.

3. In an automatic train pipe connector, a coupling head having acoupling face and also having an opening extending therethroughsubstantially at right angles to saidface, a contact plug in saidopening, said plug comprising a front portion and a rear portionrespectively insertable in said opening from the front and rear of thehead, means for rigidly connecting the two parts of the plug",

when inserted in said opening, contact slidably earned by said plug andnormally proecting beyond the coupling face of the head when the plug isin position in the head, and

a conductor connected to said contact.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

JOSEPH V. ROBINSON.

